


So many questions

by ZhaoWang



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Attends Shujin Academy, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Angst, Coffee Dad Sakura Sojiro, Crying, Drama, False Memories, M/M, Maruki Takuto's Reality Ending, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZhaoWang/pseuds/ZhaoWang
Summary: Goro wakes up thinking that they have to fix that reality, but it turns out that someone made the decision that was not expected. He decides to go looking for questions, but who has to answer them does not appear.And that completely breaks him.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20
Collections: Goro Big Bang 2020





	So many questions

**Author's Note:**

> **Hello!** Thanks for visiting this fic! I hope you like it!
> 
> I am Spanish, so there may be something strange. Sorry if that happens.
> 
> [Puedes leer el fic en español aquí.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853835)

…

I woke up confused. I didn't remember when I had gone to bed the night before. I wanted to think that I slept on my desk that night, or something. I woke up on a rickety bed, like any normal person.

That day we were going to go to that strange palace. Yes, we were going to break the new reality that man had created with incredible powers that he had gotten. How did a man who seemed to be in good faith get something like that? It got on my nerves.

It was not the time to thinking about that. I had to get ready to live that new day, have a good breakfast, and that kind of thing. The thing is, when I realized I wasn't at my usual house, I was even more confused.

Worst of all, I knew exactly where I was. He remembered that in that attic they used to find all the Phantom Thieves before going to a palace or going to investigate mementos. Also that attic was the temporary home of that stupid leader who made me so angry when i looked.

Or something like that.

The problem I had was I didn't know I was doing there. And only. What the hell? No sign of the cat, no sign of the leader. There was only me. I didn't even see the computer, or the game console. Also, there were things of mine on the table. Everything was really pristine, much more so than ever before when I had gone.

I decided to get up. I had to investigate what i was doing sleeping in a strange place. I didn't want to think that i had spent the night with that boy. Possibly, if that happened, he would sleep on the couch. I expected that, yes.

Still in pajamas, I went downstairs and only that cafeteria owner was there. I really liked their coffee, actually. I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to have one before going Maruki’s palace. I approached him, ready to greet him, when it happened.

-”Good morning, Goro.”

Goro? That’s my question. How did that man has confidence to call me by my name? It was strange and creepy.

-”Good morning?”- i said nervously.

-”Are you ok? Were you up late studying?”

I was beginning to be more suspicious of that day.

-”Can i get a coffee?” - i ignored his question.

-Of course. I was already preparing it for you.

Each sentence gave me more idea of what was happening around me. I was starting to theorize about it and, if my guess was true, I will going to assassinate that shoddy leader.

Sojiro Sakura, the bar owner, prepared me as I ordered that delicious coffee that he prepared there. I really liked its flavor, it was great and it was something that my body appreciated that morning.

Meanwhile, he stayed watching television, without saying much more than commenting on what was happening. He was talking about how stupid the news has been lately, like how a dolphin has jumped into the aquarium I don't know where, or how they have opened a new weird shaped cakes shop. Really absurd news.

Until recently, they talked non-stop about Shido, my father. They should keep talking about him, but that day they said absolutely nothing about him.

-”Have you finished?” - he asked, with a small smile.

-”Yes, thank you very much.” - I tried to smile too. - “How much?”

That’s when my suspicions came true.

-”Don’t you think it’s wrong for a father to collet money from his own son in his business?”

And there it was. I was right. The shoddy leader decided to accept Maruki’s reality. A reality full of happiness and hope, where everything is precious and beautiful, and nothing is bad. I just want to throw up.

And not only is he has accepted that man's game is correct. He has totally changed my life. I was the son of a bar manager, who takes care of a girl who does not leave the house, and who let the leader of a group of phantom thieves live in his attic, ready to change people's evil hearts.

I had to analyze the situation a bit. Why did he decide not only accept Maruki’s reality, but to change my life completely?

-”Oh, yes. Sorry.”

I had to pretend in this reality a bit. This man did not deserve my contempt, and I had to accumulate it to throw him on two stupid human beings as soon as I saw them.

-”By the way, what do you know about Amamiya-san?”.

-”Who? I don’t know anyone with that name.”

Ok. That really scared me. Where was he? How much had the world changed that even himself had to change?

-”Has he ever been here? A boy with wild black hair. He usually wears glasses. Tall and handsome.”

-”No, sorry. I haven’t even seen him around the neighborhood. Is he a friend of yours?”

He’s my rival, but i can’t tell him that.

-”Something like that, yes. But… Are you sure you haven’t seen him?” -I insisted.

-”Yes. I haven’t seen him. Is he missing or something?”

-”I guess so. I don't know anything about him, and he did something terrible. I wanted to talk to him about it.”

-”Well, you have to wait for it to appear or you can always talk to his parents to find out where he is.”

I did not know who his parents were. I didn't know where he lived, I didn't know where he could be. Nobody believed that if he were sure of all that, I would call him quickly? Besides, who thought that if I called him, he would want to talk to me?

I got up from the site, thanking that coffee. I wasn't going to stop praising that morning drink. I loved it. Then I went straight upstairs and looked for clothes to change into. At least Maruki didn't change my style of dress. Can you imagine that he changes all my clothes with pants and sports shirts? I'd rather be dead.

That's how it should be. Dead. I am aware and remembered the last moment of my life even when I was alive at that moment. I remembered how a bullet hit me and ended my life. I guess accepting the new reality meant giving myself a second chance. Why did Amamiya and Maruki decide to give it to me? I was a murderer. I have killed many people, including Futaba's mother or Okumura's father. There were many to whom I have caused a mental disconnection.

In fact, I wish they had been few.

I changed and dressed, as I always used to. The truth is, I didn't know the context of why, even if I was Sojiro Sakura's son, I lived in the disastrous attic. He should live in the same house as Futaba.

Already changed and fixed, I left home. I bundled up warm, it was February and we were in the middle of winter.

My destination was Odaiba, straight to Maruki's palace. I was hoping someone else would realize that everything was stupidly different again. Just looking at Sojiro, I was sure what would happen to everything else.

I went downstairs and there was my second confirmation. Futaba with Wakaba. Exactly, she was alive. Maruki was great at reviving dead people.

-”Good morning, big bro!”

Maruki’s second action: give me a sister.

-”Good morning” -I replied.

Futaba was a Phantom Thief. If she did not remember that we were going for Maruki, and even more so seeing Wakaba sitting with her eating breakfast so calmly, she assumed that the mission was completely canceled.

-”Have you slept badly?” -Futaba asked, stand up to look at me.

-”Something like that. Don’t worry.”

-”Well… By the way, dad, mom, and i are going to buy some things. Do you want come with us?”

Maruki had not only given a family to me, he had also given it to Sojiro. In this sense, although it was not right because it was not the true reality, I did not completely dislike the result. Not everyone has to have an empty and bad family.

-”The truth is that I have plans for today. I hope you don't get mad.”

-”Of course not” -Sojiro got into the conversation-. “Have fun. Let me know when you return. I’m going to make you a copy of the cafe key today.”

-”Yes, we have a lot to thank you, Goro-kun” -hearing Wakaba’s voice was creepy-. “Because you have moved here, we can all live at home.”

Okay, Wakaba married Sojiro. Definitely.

-”I don’t care. I like the attic.”

And I was not lying.

-”I don't know how you can like it” -Sojiro laughed-. “But, anyway, have a good time today. You are late, yeah?”

I got out of the Leblanc as fast as I could. I decided to go along with those affected by this false reality. I just wanted answers from that shoddy leader, because he just had to tell Maruki that we were going against him. He didn't have to accept this reality.

What did he talk to Maruki about to make it happen like that?

Like I said, I headed to Odaiba. It was going to be a long way, because it wasn't close. In the subway, I observed the people who were there well. Being Sunday, there were not many people inside. There were many more tourists than I realized.

After a wasted hour traveling, more or less, I reached my destination. There was Maruki's palace. When I arrived, I looked at my phone in search of the application that would allow me to enter that place, but to my surprise, it had disappeared from my phone.

It was not an application that you could download from the mobile store. No, that appeared by itself, and in this case it had completely disappeared. Why? Was Maruki powerful enough to have removed the entire metaverse or could he just control it to his liking?

I searched and searched through all the apps on my phone, and nothing. Nothing at all.

-”I knew i could find you here, Akechi-san.”

Hearing someone call me like they used to was music to my ears. I looked, a little desperate, to see who had called me by my usual last name, when I could see that red hair. Of course, tied in a ponytail, like Kasumi, and not like Sumire.

-”Yoshizawa-san. For the first time in my life, I am so glad to see someone.”

-”I don't know if that's a compliment.”

-”Yes.” - I said nervously-. “What are you doing here?”

-”We were meeting today to wake up Maruki, right?” - There was doubt on her face-. “Instead, my parents have gone back to treating me like Kasumi and leaving Sumire for dead. I thought it was my own reality, but it is seen that the whole world has changed again.”

It's a relief that someone was on the same side as me.

-”Amamiya must have talked something to Maruki for this to happen. I am now Sojiro's son and Futaba's brother. There is no talk of Shido on TV, and I live where Amamiya used to live.”

-”Wait. Amamiya-senpai isn't in the attic?” -she asked-. “Haven't you seen him?”

-"No, but I'm sure he knows that the world has changed again."

-”How can you be sure of it?”

-”It's just a hunch. If the two of us have resisted change again, he also has to be aware of it.”

-”But I resisted it because I was already in the change. I was already in that reality before anyone else. This time I should have gone back to being one hundred percent Kasumi, but no.”

I was thinking for a few seconds.

-"What if Maruki had made a new mistake?"

-"Or could he be giving us another chance?"

Yoshizawa's option was not entirely far-fetched, but I believed that Maruki had simply made a mistake. He gave us a date, an ultimatum, and that date has already passed.

-”The problem is not only Maruki. Amamiya has disappeared. We don't know where in the world he may be and we have to ask him too many questions before we leave him at that.”

-”He didn't come here from a small village? Could you have moved back into his home?”

-”It is a possibility, but I don't know where that village is. I don't know what area he is in, what his house is like or his family.”

-”And have you tried calling him on his number? I remember which one it is, could I try right now?”

Yoshizawa picked up his phone and started punching numbers, calling right after. The funny thing about it is that the cell phone that started ringing was mine.

Yes, his mobile number was mine in the new reality. Really, he made everything difficult for us.

-"I can't believe it." - she said.

-”I do. I expected it.”

This reality was slipping from my hands. It was hard for me to think about things of true reality, as if it were affecting me too. Everything they had changed was illogical and meaningless, and I needed answers.

And it pissed me off not finding them. I am a great detective, and I could not find the result of something so stupid.

-”And what can we do? We don't know where Amamiya-senpai can be” - Yoshizawa said, crossing his arms.

-”We have to find Maruki. Not only do we have to defeat him, but I need answers as to why he did it like this” I crossed my arms too.

-”In what way? Do you wonder why you are the son of the boss? Could it be because Shido doesn't exist in this world?”

-”But I have a real mother. Don't I have her blood anymore?”

-”No idea. Let's go find Maruki and ask her.”

After a while of thinking and going around Odaiba, we found no sign of either of them. We did not know how to access the palace, as our Personas did not pay any attention to us. It was as if they were asleep.

When noon came, we decided to stop for lunch. I had never been someone who needed to rest, but every time I remembered things, I felt like tiredness took over my body.

Exactly, he was beginning to see that at some point he was going to forget the true reality. I could see how the same thing was happening to Yoshizawa. Sometimes she was Sumire, and sometimes she was Kasumi.

We had limited time, and we still stopped for lunch.

As I saw what was happening, I took a napkin and wrote two names. One was the leader's, and one was Maruki's. I was afraid that somewhere in the day I would forget their names, and to do so would be a total failure.

After lunch, Sakamoto texted us both in a group. "Don't forget that we have plans this afternoon. See you at Akiba's arcade." It was actually much worse written, but I don't think anyone would understand how he put it. We were used to it.

We quickly went to Akihabara after eating. If Maruki was anywhere, it was near us. Surely he was watching us in some way and from somewhere.

As soon as I arrived, I thought about how many times I had been to Akihabara: two or three. I was not attracted to all those things that young people my age liked so much. I didn't read manga, I didn't play video games. I was a conventional boy, I liked billiards, chess and work. I had a phone, and had played arcade once, but that's it. I was not a tech expert.

Still, my part of the new reality was telling me that Futaba insisted that I play things with her and enjoy some things that she enjoyed. Yes, it is not only surprising that I considered it, but clearly the power of that doctor was affecting me as the day went by. I had to hold out a little longer.

I just needed a few answers.

In the arcade were Sakamoto Ryuuji, that foul-mouthed boy with the chicken blonde hair, Takamaki Ann, a young, half-Japanese model and good friend of the blonde, and Kitagawa Yusuke, an eccentric artist. I have tried to define them as best I could. I solve cases, I don't make friends.

-Hey, Kasumi, Goro. What 's up?

This one also called me "Goro".

-“I'm surprised you guys come together." - Ann said, giggling.

-”We met on the way. Don't jump to conclusions” -I sounded quite serious.

Yoshizawa was pretty, but she wasn't my type. Not at all.

-”Well, man, don't get mad. Ann is joking.” -Sakamoto laughed.

I hadn't gotten mad, just that I wasn't in the mood.

-”What are we going to do here?” -Yoshizawa asked.

-”Well, play, of course. Makoto and Haru are late so we'll start without them.” -Ann looked at her watch.

-”They are studying hard for the university entrance exams. I don't understand how you are here so relaxed” -said Yusuke, looking at me.

-”I don’t get bad grades. I'm not worried about that test” -I said honestly.- “I can with everything.”

No, I couldn't handle everything. Damn nice and smooth reality, it was catching me.

-”And Morgana? Have you notified him to meet?” -Yoshizawa asked.

The cat exists too. What a surprise.

-”He hasn't bought a cell phone yet. How could he have been without one all his life?” -Sakamoto was laughing.

-”Maybe because before it was a cat?”

Yes, I said that, without realizing that right now we were in another reality. Good thing these guys were dumb and took this as a joke. They laughed.

-”You imagine? What nonsense it would be.”

-"I don't understand the similarity of not having a phone and being a cat, but imagining Morgana being a cat is very funny." -Yusuke laughed too.

Yes yes, imagine it. I have seen it with my own eyes and it has been terribly unbearable. That makes me think that he might know where the leader is. He might still know the answer.

-”Well, I think Futaba had told him we were here. Since he spends the day at the Leblanc, it's easy to know where he is.” -Sakamoto laughed.

-”Futaba?” She was coming to Akihabara with my parents” - I said.

How weird that still sounded.

-”Yeah. She would join us when they were done. Hasn't she told you anything? Futaba and you are brothers now. ”- Ann laughed.

-”I had some business to attend to this morning.”

-”Well, well. How mysterious you sound, man.”

Not wanting to answer about my thoughts, I decided to follow the plan they had. Play arcade games, and little else. He didn't know how Yusuke had joined the group if he was in another institute. I did not know how it had arrived.

I was quite confused about everything and set out to do some research on the conversations they had between them. Just by listening to them I could make deductions from how the world was at that moment.

One of their conversations was about an exam. Yusuke was really interested in the subject, and he was studying in a different school than the others. Therefore, as soon as I could, between games, I asked.

-”A question, Kitagawa-san. How did you meet Sakamoto-san and Takamaki-san?”.

The three looked at each other.

-”Have we never told you?” -Ann said, laughing.- “He stained paint on my clothes. In class, just before the break was over.”

-”You don't know how much I regret that.”

-”The thing is, when we were going to the bathroom, we ran into Ryuuji.”

I couldn't believe the story they made up. They could have already done something better and more amazing, given the opportunity. Since Sakamoto and Amamiya met while entering the palace, they had to find a more idiotic alternative for the three of them.

-”And I was quiet in the corridor, and I meet a girl full of paint.”

-”And what did you do?” -I asked for.

-”I laughed more than ever, but then turned to see if I could help.”

-”And that's it?”

-”Well, you united us more than that, don't you remember?”

What? Now am I the one who created the group?

-”No.”

-”Don't you remember how we met?”

I looked away. I did not want to inquire into the self of the new reality, in case I completely sink into it.

-"Goro, how weird you are today," -Takamaki said, looking at me.

-”Are you ok?”- Yoshizawa said, approaching concerned.

-”Yes, yes. I just have a lot of things on my mind.”

Okay, at least I had something clear. Yusuke was going to the Shujin with the other two. Sure, if I went to another institute, how the hell would they have met?

I had to get out now where they had met me, although I was a little scared to do so.

-"We met at the Leblanc while you were helping the boss," -Ann began.- “We were looking for a thrift store and came across Morgana, who was handing out brochures at Yogen. We really wanted a drink and we went there. As soon as we walked in, we knew who you were by seeing you in high school.”

-”We had not known each other much and we were only going to get things for a high school project, but thanks to you we decided to get to know each other more and more.”

-”Why thanks to me?”

-”Because you invited us to come back. You wanted us to be with you, as your friends.”

Friends? Me?

-"Then Morgana joined, who is going for free as you can see" Sakamoto laughed.

-”Makoto and you go to the same class and you invited her to have a coffee” -Takamaki seemed to imagine things.

I had just discovered that I was also going to Shujin. Now it all made more sense.

-"And Makoto invited Haru," -Ann continued.- “I don't even count Futaba since it is clear that she comes apart.”

If Wakaba was still alive, Futaba would not move in with Sojiro and be adopted by him. Still, since the boss and his mother have married, she is also a Sakura. Like me.

Goro Sakura, I have to laugh.

Anyway, I had gotten them to tell me how they had all met without sounding weird too much.

-"And we met on the subway," -Yoshizawa said.- “And we started talking more on the day of cleaning the park.”

What a more accurate memory. She looked at me, giving me a smile and a look that I remembered well, but that was never for me before. You know who it was for.

It had been a long time since I felt so insecure. I didn't know when the new reality would end up completely catching me and there was nothing I could do to avoid it. I would be forever without answers as to why they acted like this.

Also, I didn't want anything to catch me while he's still missing. I needed to see him.

Where the hell was Maruki? I needed to talk to him too, because he knew for sure where the leader was.

-"Hey, Yoshizawa," -I called out to him, speaking softly.- “Do you remember Maruki?”

-”Yes, but I'm having a hard time remembering it well.”

-"It's as if some memories weigh more than normal." -I scratched my head.

-”Yes. It is a good definition. Anyway, I'm starting to believe that he has to be close to us. He must know what happens to us.”

-”I am surprised that he is changing us little by little when he knows perfectly well that he can do it all at once. A snap of the fingers and we are in his reality.”

-"I still think he might be giving us a chance,"- she said shyly.

-”Either that or he's playing with us.”

-”I don't know, Maruki isn't like that. He just wants everyone's happiness. I don't understand why he would want to give us a hard time.”

Yoshizawa was not wrong. He only wanted the good for everyone. He didn't agree with a perfect world, but he understood why everyone preferred that. Instead, I just thought that I should pay for the corrupt and evil life that I myself had created, and that could not be in Maruki's reality.

Why did the leader want me to have a happy life?

-”Yoshizawa.”

-”Tell me, Sakura-senpai.”

I lost her, in a few seconds since we finished the other conversation. I could only make my face of anger, because he was winning.

All of that confirmed that Maruki was there.

I looked everywhere, while that clueless and trapped girl looked at me confused. Normal, I was really nervous.

-”Something has happened?”

-”Do not worry. I'm just going out for a moment. I'll be back later, okay?”

Without waiting for an answer from her or notifying anyone else, I went straight to the arcade door and went out to look at it in search of that man.

At first glance I didn't see anyone, but when I looked I could see a man with brown hair and a cap, hurrying down the street. I thought it was him, so I tried to follow him.

I was fast. I didn't want to run and get attention. If he saw me who was after him, he would run too. For now, I could only see him walking fast too. It was also not very weird that he was doing this for me to follow, for some reason, but who knows. I wasn't going to think much about how many possibilities there were of all the things that crossed my mind.

He went into an alley. Following him around had a lot of risk, but I had no other choice or I would lose it. I got in trying not to be seen and prevent him from running away. There weren't many people just down that little street either.

As soon as he came out onto a main street, I could see him heading to a convenience store. I followed him even inside, seeing what he was going to do. The store was very crowded and that made things difficult.

So when I tried to get in, he seemed to have gotten out somehow and I lost sight of him. I couldn't help but get very angry about it. I felt really stupid.

So I took advantage of it and bought something to drink. A coffee, exactly. It was not as good as the Leblanc, but it was drinkable and warm. So I wouldn't be such an idiot for having entered without buying anything.

As I walked back, I was getting more on my nerves little by little, even pissing myself off. I couldn't find them, and I couldn't ask them what I wanted so badly to ask for that reason.

I stopped for a bit before entering the arcade again and took a deep breath. I had to look good for them, for my friends. As soon as I entered, somewhat calmer, a little redhead revolution hugged me, with happiness.

-”Hello big bro!”

Yes, it was Futaba. My new sister. She had a very wide smile. She made me smile a little bit in return.

I guess having a family wasn't bad at all.

-”Hi Futaba, is everything okay?”

-”Yoshizawa told me that you left suddenly shortly before I arrived. Something has happened?” -She did not separate from me.

I put a hand on her head and started stroking her hair. I didn't remember when was the last time I did something like that.

-”Nothing happens. I thought I saw someone I'm looking for.”

-”Are you looking for someone?” -She parted a bit.

He could tell her without any kind of lie. Total, they do not remember them.

-”Yes, some friends, but they are totally missing. I thought I had seen one of them, but I lost sight of him.”

-”Do you need help looking for them? I'm sure that we can all find them together” -Futaba said.

Together.

-”I don't want to bother either, don't worry.”

-”But we're your friends.”

Yoshizawa suddenly approached us and looked at me seriously. A part of her might still want to help me search for those two, but she was already inside Maruki's new reality. Like everyone.

"Everyone" were my "friends". Something that I have never wanted and needed. Something that I considered useless because it made you weak. Something that I have always tried to deny.

Until i met him.

That asshole made me think that he was my friend. Without realizing it, I was really interested in him. We would go out, we would play billiars, we would go to cafes, we would talk… And in the end, like a fool, I told him that he was my rival and I threw a glove at his face. I sure looked like an idiot.

In my head I made myself think that I hated him when it was the opposite. I did not want to think that I could appreciate and love him, because I knew I was going to betray him.

And I did it. I betrayed him.

And every time we met again, I let my madness be stronger than me, because I did not want to be weak with feelings against him, but it was inevitable. He had made me weak. I had become stupidly weak of heart because of those feelings.

All this was happening because he had given me a family? Why was I sorry for everything?

A tear came out of me as I thought. I wasn't realizing that I was in the arcade, in front of Yoshizawa and Futaba at least.

-”Big bro?!” -Futaba got nervous.

I didn't remember when I had last cried.

-”Nothing happens. I'm fine. I just got to thinking. I am only... pretty tired.”

-”Why don't you go home and sleep early? I don't think the boys will mind you leaving now” -Yoshizawa said.- When Okumura-senpai and Niijima-senpai come I will give them my regards from you.

Yes, I was going home.

I said goodbye to everyone, one by one. They all looked sad, as if they really cared about me in that reality. Futaba decided to come home with me, because she was worried about how I was and she accompanied me on the subway. This kind of thing should happen the other way around, right? I am his older brother.

Still, I could gradually understand what it was like to have a non-dysfunctional family.

We arrived at the Leblanc and Sojiro was surprised. Perhaps because it was not too late.

-”You came early, right?” -he asked.

-”Yes. Goro is tired and sad.”

-Futaba. Your mother is at home preparing dinner. Can you go help her out? I take care of Goro.

Oh no, it was a round of questions. Futaba, without replying, left the cafeteria without saying anything else. Instead, the boss seemed to be getting ready to make me coffee. The third of the day.

I sat on the bar without saying anything, not being able to look him directly in the face. Yes, at that time he was my father, but I still didn't believe it. I was not completely in that reality.

He put the coffee in front of me. It was cold outside, so I took off my gloves and grabbed the mug with my hands.

-”Well, did you find him?” -he asked.

-”What?”

-"Yeah, the guy you asked me about this morning."

It is true. He had asked about him in the morning. Innocent of me, as if the boss was going to find him.

-”No, I still don't know anything about him.”

-”And are you worried?”

I thought for a moment about what he said. Maybe a big part of me just wanted to ask him several questions. Knowing why he did it was what should matter most to me, but… another part made me nervous to think that he was never going to show up again.

He could have just changed things a bit. He shouldn't have inquired into my life, or put myself in the attic as his substitute. He could have stayed there, and given me any kind of normal life. He was the one who gave me a family because he wanted to, and he got out of the way for it. I don't think it was necessary for him to do so much for me.

But he did.

Obviously, I knew the answer I had to give Sojiro.

-”Yes, I'm worried.”

-”Did you try to talk to his parents?” -I ask.

-”I never knew where he lives. I also did not meet his parents.”

-”And have you looked for information about him on the internet? You may find that he has done something special somewhere and it may give you an idea of where he is.”

It wasn't a bad idea. I finished my coffee quickly upon hearing that proposal.

-”I am going to try. Thanks… “-I hesitated-, “Dad”.

Without glancing at him for the embarrassment that had just happened, I hurried up to the attic and got on the computer. I had a lot to look for and surely the internet could help me. Always help everyone.

The thing is, when I opened the internet window and thought about him, I couldn't remember his name. Not a letter. It didn't come to my head.

At first I couldn't believe that this was happening to me, because I believed I was controlling the new reality. On the other hand, reality had already trapped me almost completely.

I was paralyzed, in shock. I knew he existed and was missing from my life, but I couldn't remember his face or his name. Only small situations that he had lived with, at that moment, a silhouette.

What was his name like? I asked myself many times, while I despaired at times. I was trying to write random things thinking that maybe it would sound like me, and there was no way to find it.

I put my hands on my head and ended up desperately ruffling my hair. I felt like the situation just got the better of me, and that I had no way to get over it. I didn't know how to counter reality.

In that instant, I stopped to think something else: Why not let it go? That is, was their existence important in the new reality? Why was I trying to find him and find out why he did all this? Total, there was no going back. Then why?

I realized how empty I felt without his existence. How sad it made me think that I would never have him near me again. I could'nt believe it. I wanted to see his face, call his name, speak to him, touch him ... I couldn't help it, I started crying like crazy. A mixture of anger and grief flooded my body. I couldn't stop thinking about him without knowing who he is.

He didn't understand why I hated him, needed him and loved him so much at the same time. I didn't even know her name.

Until an enlightenment came to me. I had done something to avoid this event before, and that's when I remembered. If I was not mistaken, I had written it down on a napkin, where I put the doctor's name on one, and his on the other.

I ran to get my coat. I almost threw down the chair in an attempt at how eager I was to remember it. When I reached the pocket of this one I took out the two napkins, and luckily I hit the first one I opened.

“AMAMIYA REN”

In capital letters with good handwriting. Mine. It was his name, and it sounded incredibly good to me. I was remembering it. I was going to do everything I could to make it stick in my brain forever.

The name of the person that mattered most to me.

I went straight to the computer and typed his name in search of information. I could see a photo of him and yes, it was him. I was sure. His face, his eyes, his strangely disheveled hair, his glasses. It was him.

I wouldn't lie to you if I said I wanted to kiss the screen but I cut myself off doing it. It wasn't my style, and my head was going off.

It was as if I had fallen in love and was realizing again how much I loved that person. I had never fallen in love with anyone before so I was a bit confused and strangely obsessed.

But I was sad to realize that now. I was going to forget about Ren and how I felt about him, and a part of me believed it was better, but most of my thoughts didn't consider forgetting him as an option.

What an idiot I was.

I lay down slightly on the chair and closed my eyes. I was definitely going to cry again if I looked at his picture again and kept thinking about what was coming next.

I spent about five minutes in that position, thinking that I didn't want to think about him anymore, when my phone started vibrating. It was a call, from the looks of it. I opened my eyes and sighed regretfully, hoping that whoever was going to disturb my attempt at reassurance would do so for good reason.

Without looking at the number or anything, I picked up the phone.

-”Yes?”

-”Hello, Akechi Goro”.

I sat well in the chair, scared. I didn't know whose voice it was, but he knew my name from before.

-”I suppose you won't remember my voice well, and you may no longer be able to remember my name. You wrote it down on a napkin next to the leader of your group.”

I got up from the chair again with the phone to my ear and grabbed the other napkin from my jacket pocket. There it was and I could read it well.

-”Takuto Maruki.”

-”Right.”

I finally found it. The other piece I needed.

-”I'm sorry I hid from you all day. Even when I escaped in Akihabara. This was not the moment to talk.”

-”And why is now the moment?”

-”Because I thought you were angry, but I've seen you sad, and I don't like that at all.”

It is true. A happy world is what he wanted. He did not agree that any of us were sad.

-”And what are you going to do? Are you going to force me to go to the psychologist before going to the new reality?”

-”No, but we are going to talk face to face. I will solve all your doubts.”

At last, the answers I was looking for.

-”Very well. At the Leblanc tonight?”

-”Perfect. Call me when you are alone. I'll stick around the area.”

At nine o'clock in the evening, after having dinner with my new family at the Sakura house for the first time since I was conscious, I returned to the Leblanc. At the door was a man who remembered better than he expected.

I opened the door with the key that Sojiro gave me, and closed after letting him pass.

-”You want a drink?” -I offered him.

-"Wow, how chivalrous of you to be against me"-he said, smiling.

-”I could still poison your drink. I am in time to finish this reality.”

-”Would you really kill me?”

I was silent for a few seconds, looking at him.

-No. People would be mad at me if I did. It would go back to being like Shido's Black Mask, and I don't think they'd be excited about me going back to my old days.

-I am surprised that now you care about your group of friends.

He was not wrong. They did matter to me, yes... My pride did not want to assume it, but I could not deny that having friends and not dedicating yourself to causing death to people while you are a famous television icon was much calmer.

-”I'm going to make two coffees. I think Sojiro had left me a bit in case I wanted to drink later.”

-”I like the idea. I've always wanted to try the coffee here.”

I made the coffee. Between remembering when Ren or Sojiro made my coffee in the old reality, and what seemed to have taught me somewhere in the new, I knew what I was doing.

Then I put them on one of the tables and sat across from him. He thanked me very much for the detail. I hoped he would like it.

That's when the conversation started.

-”I suppose calling you Goro can be very uncomfortable for you.”

-”Actually, by your power, I'm not "Akechi". It's okay for you to call me Goro. It's the only thing that sounds real to me right now.”

-”Perfect. So, Goro, I will answer all the questions you ask me. You have earned the right to know the truth before diving into the new reality.”

-”All right. Well my first question is… What are the changes that you have really made in my life?”

He thought for a moment. It seemed like he was looking inside himself all my life.

-”Your real mother died and you are Shido's son, but you never knew that.”

-”Does Shido exist?”

-”Yes, but not as a politician. He exists as a normal person. A drunk on the street who works in a small business. The way he met your mother has been slightly modified and therefore he is not known.”

-”And I never looked for him?”

-”No. You didn't see it necessary. It is clear that you hate him, but you consider better not to look for him. At first you were capable of something terrible but Sojiro adopted you.”

-”Why did Sojiro adopt me?”

I wasn't going to stop asking him questions.

-”Because you are a minor and you cannot live on your own. He always wanted to have a child, and he ran into you.”

-”But what about Wakaba? Couldn't he have a child with her?”

-”Sojiro with Wakaba was not so close when he met you. Don't you remember that you in the old reality was the one who killed her?”

It is true. The timelines weren't as skewed as I thought. Obviously, he should have adopted me before there was any kind of relationship with her.

-”More questions?”

-”Yes of course. Sojiro and Wakaba are married?”

-”Yes. It was clear that the owner of this cafe is in love with Wakaba and adores Futaba. They deserved a bit of romance. Also, I believe that you need to live with a more structured family than the one you have lived before.”

-”Do you think that will make me change?”

-”You've already changed. You've gone to dinner with them, you've come home with Futaba, and you talk to Sojiro like there's some kind of connection. You cannot lie to me by telling me that this situation has not warmed your heart.”

He was a bit right. I looked away, because I didn't know how to say that this was a lie.

-”And a group of friends? Will that make me change too?”

-”They have always been your group of friends, Goro. Since before this reality. You started going out with them to play, to explore Mementos ... you were a team and they cared about you.”

-”But…”

-”Yes, it's different. They treat you like you are an amazing friend. They no longer know who Akechi Goro is, because you are no longer the Detective Prince, nor the son of Shido, nor the person in charge of the mental disconnections, nor Crow. You are his friend Goro, son of a cafeteria owner and Shujin third-year student. You are still you, but with another story.”

-”But that's wrong. Changing people's lives assuming they have no mistakes is not okay.”

He was silent for a few moments, looking at me somewhat sadly.

-”In life there is forgiveness, Goro. If there's a chance that you didn't do anything, we might give you a second chance. Also, Amamiya explained to me that you didn't do it because you wanted to.”

Yes he did. I could have easily put myself ahead of Shido if I wanted to, but no. I got carried away and it wasn't because he manipulated me or anything. I did it that way because it was my plan.

If they had restored everything and those people were alive again, then it was an excuse to give a good person a chance, and I was not. I was neither good, nor was I happy, or anything.

-"I guess it's all his idea, right? May my life be like this, this way.”

-”Yes. He thought that giving you a whole new life was better than just putting your makeup on. He practically wrote the script for your new life.”

-”I still can't accept the need for that. I don't think I deserve to be happy.”

-”But you want to be.”

Who doesn't want to be calm and really happy? Maruki only gave obvious answers.

-"Anyway, you don't seem to be going with all your might against reality,"- he said, smiling slightly.

I sighed, annoyed.

-”No. I'm going to let you play with whatever you want because I just can't do anything. I may be a little crazy but I'm not stupid.”

-”But you still don't like the reality we have created for you, why?”

I looked to the side, somewhat flushed. It was clear what I was missing in all of this. I could hear how Maruki understood and laughed.

-”Wow, I know for sure that is what failed in my calculations.”

I looked at him again, somewhat surprised by the comment.

-”What do you mean?” -I asked for.

He stared at me, wondering how to tell me.

-”When I fine-tuned the new reality, I had the impression that something had not gone well for me. I believed that by making a major change in your life, I had failed at something. I thought a part of you was holding on to its old self and it was stronger than me. There is a feeling in you that has given you a strange strength.”

-”What the hell are you talking about?”

-”Let me finish. I try to fulfill your wishes and give you the fullest life I can, but it is clear that the life I was going to give you was not going to be happy. You were missing something very important, and that bothered me when I didn't understand why.”

He took a breath.

-I let Kasumi help you and I gave you a chance in this new reality, but she is very weak emotionally and I ended up putting her in the new reality. That was when I really had the feeling that it was what caught you.

-And it was?

-What did you lack the person you care about the most of all, and your desire to see him was growing. After running away from Akihabara, I found a way to get over that, but it didn't seem fair to make you forget Amamiya, because I felt that if I did, you would be wrong for no reason. Your heart is stronger than me, and his too.

I opened my eyes in surprise.

-”Are you sure?”

-”While you were having dinner with your new family, I called him. I called Amamiya. He hadn't been affected by reality either, just like you. He remembered you perfectly, and that made him very sad, because he missed you all and especially you. I shouldn't be the one to say what he thinks of you, but I could hear him quite affected.”

Was he depressed? Was he sad for me?

-”Where's Ren?” -I asked for.

-”At home with his parents. Having not had an encounter with Shido, he had no problem with the law. The attic would be 100% yours.”

-”But…”

I couldn't help but stay silent. I felt that if I kept thinking about him I was going to cry again like in the afternoon, but that was the subject we were talking about.

Was I really in love with him? Was that feeling stronger than Maruki's powers? If I hadn't even realized it until that afternoon.

In the end it was inevitable, a tear came out of my eyes. One after another, little by little. Maruki looked at me seriously.

-”I'm going to give you both one more day. Tomorrow you will see each other and you will talk. It doesn't seem fair to you that at least you don't make things clear between yourselves. We'll leave early so Sojiro doesn't see you and it's not weird. I will take you to his town and there I will leave you alone. Do you think it's OK?”

A chance to see Ren? It was clear that he was not going to waste it. I wanted to see him and ask him many things too. Since I had to sink into the new reality, I wanted to figure out a few things first.

-”Yes. It's okay.”

-”Great. It makes me very happy that you finally understand that your life can be better.”

-”That remains to be seen, but I don't dislike having a normal family for now.”

I'm not going to lie to you: I couldn't sleep properly. I turned several times in bed, one after another. He was unable to fall asleep with all the things on his mind. I was going to meet Ren and I was going to be able to ask him many things. I was going to be able to talk to him and see him. I was very nervous.

I got three hours sleep. I woke up bad. Terrible dark circles invaded my face, under my eyes. I thought about putting on some makeup to cover them up, but the new reality Goro doesn't wear makeup. I would have to wash my face well and see if that worked a bit, as if the water was miraculous.

I put on the first thing I got. My green plaid sweater, my orange jacket, my black pants… I didn't really care about my outfit either. Mind you, just as I walked out the door, the thought of "Am I okay like this?" came up to me. Then I remembered that it is not a date.

I decided, before leaving, to put a note on Sojiro. "I will not go to school today. I have found my friend. I'm sorry…". I hesitated, but in the end I dared to put a "dad" after the apology. I had to get used to it.

I went outside after closing the Leblanc. The street was narrow, but cars were allowed, so Maruki was waiting for me right at the door. I got into the passenger seat, and he looked at me.

-”You have bad face.”

-”Yes, I haven't slept much.”

At that moment, Maruki was taking a plastic bag from the back of the car and taking out a large, hot can of coffee, offering it to me. I didn't hesitate for an instant to grab it.

-”Oh, this will help me a lot. Thank you.”

-"No need." -Maruki started the car.- “We finished coffee yesterday, so I thought you wouldn't have breakfast.”

-”Well, no, I didn't.”

-”In the bag there is some sweet for breakfast. Take something if you want.”

The journey was long but entertaining. We were talking about many things. We exchanged opinions about his point of view and mine, but all from respect, and it was actually easy to understand his point.

He also asked me about Ren, about how I met him, what we used to do ... The truth is that I didn't remember talking to Maruki about many of the things that had changed, but I did talk to Ren. Therefore, that reminded me again that he was the culprit of all that.

We arrived in a fairly normal town. Possibly I would never have gone, because I hadn't missed anything there either. Until that day.

Maruki left me in a park, totally deserted. He gave me the bag of sweets and juices so that I could have more breakfast while I waited, and drove off with the car. I looked for a place to sit, and in the end I ended up sitting on the grass. By the hour, it was still cold, but I would hold on.

I was hungry, so I looked into the bag that I could eat. There was a melonpan, so it was the first thing I tried. I was not very given to this type of food, but I did like sweets. After taking the first bite, I was brutally interrupted.

-”I didn't expect you to like that kind of food.”

I looked up and saw him. Tousled hair, plastic glasses, perfect face, gray eyes. Actually, my inner self wanted to get up and punch him, but in the end I decided to suffer total paralysis when I saw him.

He smiled slightly, then sat down next to me. We didn't even say hello to each other, and I assumed we had started this meeting. On top of that he did not seem nervous and instead I was going to suffer a heart attack as it continued.

-”Maruki said he brought things for breakfast. I'm going to see what there is.”

He picked up the bag and began to rummage. Like me, he took a coffee there and another sweet.

I heard him sigh after the first bite.

-”I am nervous.”

I looked at him, confused. He didn't look like it at all.

-”Why?”

-”To be here with you. We have a lot to talk about. You have many things to ask and I have many to answer.”

I took another bite of the melonpan without saying anything, looking away from him and focusing on looking anywhere but at his face.

-”I'm sorry.”

I just said nothing. I was surprised by what he said, but I did my best not to show it.

-”I missed your request. I saw how your life was in danger and I couldn't think of letting you die. It didn't seem right to me.”

-"It didn't matter what price I had to pay, Ren. I asked you please to go ahead with the plan.”

-”I could not. I'm really sorry, Akechi.”

I looked at him, somewhat sad.

-”Akechi no longer exists. Call me Goro. I have not hesitated to call you Ren.”

-”It is true.”

You could tell that he was somewhat sad. I was really sorry for him, but we had a pact and he did what he wanted in the end.

I didn't want to be so hard on him. Not that day.

-”There's no going back, Ren. You have to get used to the new reality and that's it.”

-”But…”

-”But I have several questions about reality, and I want you to answer them for me.”

He looked back at me, still discouraged, as he took another bite of his breakfast. Actually, I thought he was pretty cute while eating. I'm an idiot.

I stared at him for a while and he realized it. I couldn't help but look away again, as I couldn't keep my gaze on him without getting like a tomato. I could see how he laughed, and at least that seemed to have taken away the sad face from before.

Still, I didn't look at him. What a shame.

-”My first question is why did you decide that I needed the life you have given me.”

He thought for a few moments.

-”Because I wanted to. Simply.”

-”What? What kind of answer is that?”

-”I don't know, I felt that you deserved to have a family, and what better person to raise a teenager like you than the boss. With Wakaba and Futaba it was Maruki's idea, but it didn't seem wrong to me to do it.”

-”Ren, I have caused many mental disconnects in the past and, among them, that of my current stepmother.”

-”Yes, but you didn't have to remember that. I wouldn't even have to remember you.” -He clicked his tongue.

-”Does not matter. I still don't deserve it.”

-”That's what you think, but I don't think the bad guys don't deserve forgiveness. You yourself confessed your actions.”

-”Yes, well, what good has it been?”

We are silent. We were arguing more than asking questions, and it started to make us uncomfortable. I was quite upset with his decision, but had to start to twist.

I looked at him, and I could see how he was getting worse. I felt like he was going to cry at any moment.

-”Sorry, okay?” -said-. “I didn't want to make you feel like this.”

-”I get it. I just wanted you to be happy for once. Live a quiet life, without thinking about Shido, without thinking about the metaverse, or the Phantom Thieves ... Without television channels, only with a coffee every day on the bar, studying what you would like, without many problems …”

-"But if that's what you wanted ... If you wanted me to be happy ..."- I gulped, -"why did you get out of the way?"

He looked at me, flushed. It seems that he understood well what I was referring to. I was blushing too. Like a traffic light.

-”How to say… You are my rival, but you are also my friend. You are everyone's friend and you simply put me in your place. That is not fair to you.”

-”To me?”

-”Of course. Are you okay without your friends? Don't you miss Leblanc's coffee, for example? The afternoons that you and your friends spent studying or being an idiot …”

-”Me…”

-”And me? We have had a very good time. Yes, of course, we have also had a bad time, but …”

-”Wait. Wait.”

I was talking non-stop and I wasn't realizing what I was saying. I never meet anyone again without having slept at least eight hours. We were silent again. It was uncomfortable.

-”Of course I miss you all. Of course I HAVE MISSED YOU especially.”

My skin had already gotten used to the phosphor red hue. His seemed like it too.

-”Well, I repeat, why did you get out of the way?”

-”Because all this metaverse started with me. I was the leader and I caused you a lot of trouble for it.”

-”You were trying to stop crazy people, including me. Besides, I got there before you.”

-”That's why I asked Maruki to close the metaverse for us, to change the possibility and never be able to go back there. I don't want to think again or see what you fill your hands with evil acts. I know that you don't want to be bad, I know that you only want to be happy and that's it.”

I understood his point. Perfectly. He was not wrong at all.

-”But without you I can't be happy.”

Yes, I told him that. Without any kind of preparation. I thought about it and said it. Sure, his face was a joke, like mine.

-”What?”

-”If you want to start over, why does it have to be without you?”

-”But, Goro …”

-”The metaverse and all that is not an excuse. We are in limbo now because Maruki allows us to be honest with each other, because we couldn't be happy like this.”

-”And what do we do? The new reality is ready. We already have the destination written.”

That if I could still avoid it, because I didn't want a life without him.

-"Well, I don't know, but today seems to be the last day we can do something together as rivals," -I said.

-”Then, we could have a date, right?”

What had just happened? I thought I heard what he said about going on a date. It was real?

I was in shock. It was early in the morning, I had slept three hours, I had dark circles down to my feet, and they asked me on a date after arguing.

-”I'm sorry, I think I've been asking. Me…”

-”Okay.”

We were both going to die right there.

-”Do you want ...?” -Ren ask.

-”Yeah sure. I want to have a date with you. What happens is that I do not have time to fix myself or to change my clothes again.”

-”You're perfect like this.”

Oh God. We were flirting.

-”Well if you say so…”

-”You're always perfect.”

I wanted to murder him before I died. If I continued like this, I swear to you that even my hair would turn red. Also, I didn't know how to return the compliments. It was not the best day to be inspired.

I could see how he had moved and got closer to me. Much closer. Our shoulders were brushing and that only made me that much more nervous. I had come to ask for answers and in the end I had just started a date with that idiot.

But I loved him very much. I couldn't deny it.

We looked at each other. Our faces were very close to each other. I knew how that was going to end. I had never dated anyone but I knew what kissing was like.

And that ended up happening. We kiss, yeah. Each one with their unfinished sweet in hand, because in the meantime we hadn't finished talking, but it didn't matter. I enjoyed the moment I tasted his lips more than anyone else in my life.

And I was going to miss that moment. I couldn't be sadder.

After a few moments of butterflies and overwhelmed feelings, we slowly separated without taking our eyes off each other. I could see a small smile on his lips.

-”I'm so dumb. Kisses are given at the end of the date, not at the beginning.” - he said quietly.

-”It’s ok. It was great.”

-”Yes?”

I nodded and pulled away from him, quite flushed and nervous, taking another bite of my breakfast. I couldn't look at him without feeling weird, so I stared straight ahead.

Ren kept looking at me. That did nothing to prevent a heart attack. He was smiling, handsome and idiotic. I sometimes glanced at him.

He broke that strange silence.

-”I think we can skip all the declarations of love that we have between us.”

Could he stop talking so that I could rest from all the nervousness?

-”Declarations of love?”

-”Yes. Me for you, you for me. We have said almost everything we think while you asked me about reality and I felt it when we kissed” -Ren smiled as he spoke-. “That's why I say we can skip all that romance and take advantage of the time.”

-”It is a great favor to the heart attack that is going to give me as you continue to make me nervous.”

He came closer again, and leaned on my shoulder.

-”Wow. You're shy, Goro.”

-”Shut up. We will be on our first date but you have not stopped being my rival.”

-”God, you're adorable when you get nervous. So I can't stop trying to keep you like this.”

-”You're cruel.”

He looked back at me and brought his face close to mine. It was impossible. I wanted to kiss him too. I wanted to hug him, touch him ... I think I had said that before.

After kissing a second time, we gawked at each other. I loved him very much, there was no doubt.

-”I love you, Goro. I wish I could live a life with you.”

He said it, and the truth is that he could not explain how happy he was at that moment, so I decided to draw strength and tell him what I thought.

-”I love you too, Ren.”

And again we kiss. That day was natural, like sitting close to each other, ending up shaking hands… It was my date that day.

We were silent, finishing our meal but really close to each other. I was beginning to feel calmer, but really happy inside. It was incredible.

I had no idea what it was like to feel this, and to think that I was only going to be able to be with him for a few hours, made me very sad.

-”What can we do today?” -I asked for.

-”I had thought the town could show you. Here is an ice cream parlor that is very good. Then we could eat at a little takoyaki shop nearby.”

-"I hope it's not one of those that has a spicy takoyaki in the pack ..." -I couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

-”No, that lady is very nice. She wouldn't do anything like that! Continuing on, we could watch the sunset together on a nearby mountain. There is usually no one, and less on a Monday.”

-"Wow, you're a romantic," I smiled.

-”Well, I have imagined many times several situations to take you out of a date. Tokyo is much easier than this town because of the amount of things that can be done, but with the time we have to return there is not an option. I have improvised right now.”

Wait.

-”Have you ever considered taking me out on a date before?”

-”Clear. What you think? What do I like from today?” -he laughed-. “Not at all, Goro. I've been liking you longer than you think.”

Oh no, the heart attack was back. I was actually embarrassed to tell him that I had realized I loved him the day before that. How could this possibly happen long before? I do not deny it.

-”Because you like me? You know the story of my life...”- I said quietly, somewhat more discouraged.

-”What difference does it make? Of course I know what you are and what you've done, and it's not like I control how I feel about you. I love you and that's it, I don't know.”

A part of me liked that way of thinking. He didn't need excuses, he didn't need facts. He felt what he felt because his heart told him so, not because his head told him. I had a pretty dark record, and yet he had been able to open his heart to me. Just because he felt that way.

I would like to feel more and think less, how he does.

After finishing breakfast, and giving ourselves a few more minutes of cuddles, we got off the floor. It was cold that day, and I was out of temper from having slept so little. Likewise, when I was shivering, Ren would hug me tightly and then caress me. He took my hand on the way, shoving it into his jacket pocket for warmth.

Did that really have to end at some point?

As he said, he showed me the town. The houses were much smaller than the tall buildings in Tokyo. The market was very nice and the shop assistants were very nice people. They were much warmer people than what I was used to from the big city.

We got to the ice cream parlor he said. There we had our second breakfast. Ren told me that he hadn't slept much either, but he didn't notice anything. He was always resplendent, so handsome and so perfect. The thing is, that second coffee was incredibly healing and it fired me up a lot.

While we were there, Ren would hold my hand under the table, and blush a little. He was adorable.

Then, after leaving the ice cream parlor, we went around the town again. Ren's parents called him saying why he hadn't gone to class, because the institute had called them. I heard perfectly how he said "I have some business to solve, and tomorrow I'll go back to class without problem. Just give me today."

Just one day. A day that passed unfairly fast.

We went to eat at the little takoyaki stand he told me. It was delicious. The best he had ever eaten. Ren seemed to know the lady from time before and they had a warm conversation. He even introduced me to her saying that I was someone very special to him. Really, he had to expose me all the time.

That lady gave each of us keychains of cute mice. The most curious thing is that those animals were us. When I asked her about that, she told me that the keychains were from a series that was shown on TV about a group of mice that were heart thieves. The kids loved these keychains, and gave them away when ordering takoyaki.

Maruki didn't want to kill all the Phantom Thieves for some reason.

I kept my Crow mouse in a safe place, and Ren his Joker mouse. We found it adorable that something that had been important in our lives was now something fun for children. I was interested in seeing that series in the new reality, even if it was for the little ones.

When we finished eating, we went back to the park to give each other more and more pampering and caressing for a while, and seeing that the sun was going down, he led me towards a small mountain that was higher than the town. There you could see, as he said, a beautiful sunset. It really was a moment to remember, but it wasn't going to be possible.

Although we tried to fill our interior with happiness, an inner voice did not seem to stop screaming at us that it was going to end.

As we watched the twilight, a call came through my cell phone. Maruki announced to me that he would give me a half hour and he would pick me up at the park, since we had a long journey back.

At the end of the call, I stared at the sky again, while Ren held my other hand tightly. I put the cell phone in my pocket and turned to look at him. He turned to me, and we could both feel it. We were sad, and we didn't want that to come to an end.

We kissed again, but this time we could feel how tears came from our eyes while. Crying was inevitable, it was our day, we were never going to remember it and we were never going to kiss again.

We separated for a few moments to look at each other closely, and talk quietly.

-"I don't want to stop being in love with you"- Ren said.

-”Me too. I want to continue holding your hand, and kissing you” …

-I don't want to, Goro. I don't want to be separated from you”- he whispered, but his voice shook. -”If I had told you how I felt about you before …”

-”But we have written history that way, Ren. There is no way to rewrite what we have already experienced” -I went back to him.

We kissed again. Every time it killed me more inside to think that those were our last kisses, because I had enjoyed them as if I had been giving them all my life.

It was a bit of a long way back to the park, so we started walking, but Ren would stop every so often and tug at my hand. He didn't want me to leave, and he would cry easily.

I was crying too.

We walked hand in hand. The night had already come to us, so it was difficult to see anything in that town. No one was looking at us either, so it was quite comfortable.

Upon reaching the park, Maruki was already out of the car waiting. He greeted us as we approached. When he saw that we were holding hands, he was glad, but our faces were a mess from crying.

He worried.

-Well, I'm going to let you say goodbye alone. Don't be too long, Goro. We have a long way back.

The doctor got into the car and started it. While Ren and I looked at each other with pity.

-Will you let me know when you get home? Ren asked.

-I do not know.

-Will you call me tomorrow?

-I do not know.

-When we shall meet again?

I was silent for a few seconds.

-I do not know. I can't think positively about this.

We approached each other, nervous and sad.

-"I'm sure if Maruki wants our happiness, he'll give it to us," -Ren said.- “We won't be the same, but I think I'll be able to kiss you again at some point in the future.”

I smiled, slightly.

-”I hope you are right.”

We kissed again. The last kiss. The last one before we parted that day. Then we hugged each other tightly, with great sorrow for the separation.

We let go, and without saying goodbye or anything, I ran to the car and got in. He seemed to cry nonstop from there, and I wasn't like I could stop suffering. Maruki couldn't bear to see us, so he started the car and drove off.

We didn't say goodbye. We did not want to. We didn't want to think that that was over.

After about ten minutes of travel, after everything had been quiet, he decided to speak.

-”Is there nothing you have to tell me?” -I ask.

I didn't want to look at him, but I was going to answer him.

-”I guess so.”

-”Well, tell me. I hear you.”

I took a breath. What I was going to tell him was going to change a lot of things, and I was prepared for it.

-”I am still against your reality and I do not want to allow you to continue with it.”

Maruki thought for a few seconds.

-”I was expecting it.”

-”The thing is that, as I already told you, it is stupid that I fight against you alone, so I will live in your reality in disagreement. I know that would bother you a lot, because I'm not going to be happy.”

-”Yes, that's what we talked about.”

-”So I'm going to put some conditions. If you do, I or Ren will not get in your way again. It is understood?”

Maruki smiled. That was expected, and it actually made him happy.

-”Then let's talk. I will listen to your proposals and I will make the changes.”

-Perfect. Well, I want…

_________________________

Tuesday morning. That day the sun was shining despite being in February. Goro had gotten used to the cold in that ramshackle attic, and with the minor renovations they had done, it was already much more habitable.

The day before seemed to have been tough, but Goro didn't remember what he had done. He was nervous about his college entrance exams, so it could be that he was so stressed that day that he had erased it from his head. So on Tuesday he got up with the time on it, and he didn't like that.

Realizing how little time he had, Goro quickly dressed in his high school uniform. Black with plaid pants. He liked that uniform very much, although he couldn't say why yet.

He grabbed his backpack and ran down the stairs. Seeing his father's face disappointed like never before, he couldn't help but get scared.

-”What time are these to get up?”- Sojiro said, crossing his arms.

-”I do not know. This has never happened to me.”

Breakfast was already in the cafeteria bar. That day, unlike everyone else, there was bread toast. What stayed the same was the coffee. That was never lacking.

Goro sat down to devour his breakfast, while Sojiro looked at him worriedly. He put his backpack on the side of the bar.

-”Are you ok?” -Sojiro asked.

-”Yes. Just nervous about exams. Do not worry.”

Sojiro signed.

Goro had already eaten that toast and was proceeding to quickly sip his coffee to help bring down the food. After a drink, he asked about his sister.

-”Has Futaba left without me?” -Goro looked surprised.

-”You got up late. Your sister does not want to be late and it is normal.”

-"Oh, sure." -He laughed slightly. -”Well, I'm leaving now.”

Before leaving, Goro started looking inside his backpack to see if he had everything. It was then that the boss realized something.

-”Oh, Goro! Don't tell me that you're also watching the mice series.”

Yes, a strange keychain of a mouse with a red mask hung from that backpack. Goro looked at that with love.

-”Yes. Futaba showed it to me and I bought the key ring. I found it cute.”

-”It's a series of children …”

-”But the message is interesting!”

He sighed again. Goro didn't care what his father thought about what he saw. Seeing those cartoons didn't hurt him, and they were thrown on weekends.

After checking that everything was fine, the young man said goodbye to his father and ran out of the cafeteria. He could catch the next train if he ran, and that way he would make it to school well, or at least not too late.

When we got to the station, the train was there and it narrowly managed to get there, although it was really full. He would have to endure three more stops and then transfer. He would have to run a bit for the Shibuya train as well, but that happened from getting up late.

He left the subway suffocated and went straight to the next line. It was not necessary to run so much but he knew that the subway would also be very full and if he did not arrive soon, he would have to wait for the next one.

Upon reaching the line, the subway had just arrived. How unlucky he was. He was cursing himself on the sheets. When he got to line, he heard as if something fell. At the time he thought it would be someone else's, but as soon as he got on the train, he realized that it was he who lost something.

He looked at his backpack and it was gone. That little mouse with a mask keychain. That flooded him with sorrow because he was excited to have it. He liked it very much, and he didn't even know why, but he had it. Also, Futaba seemed to have really liked that he was carrying something in his backpack from a series they were watching together.

He took a deep breath and sighed. Maybe he should go get another keychain, but he felt like it wasn't the same. That key ring he liked. That particular keychain. Even he didn't understand why, but that's how he felt.

He was thinking about it all the way. How could he have been such an idiot. As he got off that crowded train, he decided to continue on his way to high school. He no longer cared about running, lest he miss anything else. People were walking fast, and he was at his own pace, so more than one of them ran into him.

Until he felt a hand grab his arm. That made him tense, but he turned to see who it was and what he wanted.

A boy with tousled dark hair, wearing glasses. Somewhat shorter than him, and wearing a uniform from a nearby high school. With beige jacket and black pants. And above all, quite handsome.

-"Sorry to bother you," said that boy, somewhat nervous. -”Is this yours? I think I saw you looking for it in your backpack.”

And there it was. As if it were destiny, that keychain had to go back to Goro. The brown haired boy smiled, a lot. I was really glad I was able to get it back.

-”Yes it is mine. Are you going to give it back to me?”

-”Of course. I got off the train for that.”

"Isn't that his stop?" That's what Goro thought, as he took the keychain that the boy offered him.

-"I'm surprised there is someone my age who also sees those pictures," -said the dark-haired man, scratching his head.

-”You too?” Goro asked happily.

That boy showed him the backpack and there it was. Another keychain quite similar to the other, but it wore a white mask. Still, the material was similar, so they may have bought it from the same store.

-”I'm surprised to see someone who likes it. In my highschool they are quite boring and do not usually see this type of thing” -he smiled-. “Even my parents say it's just a series for children.”

-”My father says the same. My sister isn't much younger than I am and she sees it, and she doesn't say anything to her.” -Goro laughed.- “But I don't care about that, frankly. It looks cute to me and has a deep message.”

-”I agree.”

Goro looked at the watch on his wrist and was alarmed. He quickly shoved the keychain into the backpack, because maybe he should run.

-”I have to go. Thank you very much for the keychain” -he said hurriedly.

-”Wait. Before you leave…”

It seemed that this kid didn't want to end up like this.

-”... would it be too much to ask that we exchange phone numbers? I don't know anyone to talk to about the show, and I'd like to talk a bit more.”

He couldn't help but blush. He didn't know why, but he got nervous.

-"Okay," he agreed, pulling his phone out of his backpack.- “What is your name?”

-”Amamiya Ren, and you?”

-”Sakura Goro.”

-”It's a nice name.”

-”Well…”

They both added and smiled as they did so. They were somewhat red, and did not understand why they were so nervous about meeting another person. Was it because it was really rare to meet someone under those circumstances?

-”Well, I'll let you go. We talk later?” -said Ren, really happy.

-”Yes. We talk later. Have a nice day.”

-”Same, and run, don't be late.”

As Goro narrowly got to class, he already had a new message from that boy. He had to answer that boy secretly at that moment.

The messages and comments about the series were of all kinds, as both exchanged impressions among themselves about what was happening. After talking about it, strange as it seemed, they ended up talking about other things. Goro told him how close the exams were and how overwhelmed he was with them, while Ren told him that his exams also made him somewhat tired.

The week remained the same. They both spoke more and more, and with increasing confidence. On Sunday, the day the chapter came out, they spent all the time commenting on it. That caught the attention of Futaba, who asked very interestedly who was the person with whom he was talking about the series other than her. He got very nervous, and in the end he told her everything that happened.

The rest of the week Goro had exams. It was annoying thinking about them so much, and it gave Goro a headache. In the afternoon, when he couldn't get any more information into his head, he complained to Ren and he suggested that he take a walk around. Goro was excited, he was going to meet him. He really wanted.

He got dressed and left very happy, meeting him to play darts and billiards for a while. They both had a great time and seemed to have released stress.

The following Sunday, it was the same as the previous one, but Goro seemed even happier. He futaba understood well what was happening.

They finished the exams and it was a break for everyone, so they proposed to meet the following Sunday to watch the series all together at Leblanc. It seemed that Futaba was the one who proposed this, because she wanted to do something all together since with the exams it was impossible. The boss let them occupy the cafeteria early, and that made her excited. The thing was when Futaba told Goro to invite his new "friend".

He got very nervous, but he was excited for him to come, so he invited him and he accepted without hesitation. Even so, he proposed to meet her days before to play something again or go for a walk, in celebration of the fact that the exams were over.

They both went out on Saturday, the day before the series, totally happy to be more rested, and they were talking about a lot of things in general. They were very trusting of each other, and they seemed to really enjoy each other's company. Very much.

Sunday arrived. All seated on the Leblanc sofas or stools, with a coffee on the table. Goro was really nervous, and had prepared a place next to him for Ren to sit with him. Futaba was looking at him from across the room with a smile.

-”What's wrong, Futaba?” -Haru asked, who was sitting next to her.

-"Goro's boyfriend is coming and his face is really funny," -she laughed.

-”What do you say? He is not my boyfriend nor do I make funny faces. I'm normal. ”- His voice trembled a little.

-”Is his boyfriend that boy he talks to all day long on his cell phone?” -Makoto asked, glancing from the stools.

-”Wait, Goro has a boyfriend?” -Asked the boss from the bar.

-”I don't have a boyfriend and you are exposing me to my father without dating anyone!”

-"Look at him, he's shy" -Ryuuji from behind him laughed.

-”You are making me suffer …”

-"Now that I think about it, he even got dressed up and made himself handsome while in his own house." -Ann, also from behind, laughed.

Goro shot Futaba a hateful look. She had started this, and she didn't feel any kind of regret.

That's when the door rang, and everyone turned to look at it. There he was, a boy with tousled hair and glasses, quite handsome. He was somewhat nervous, but calmer than Goro.

-”I'm sorry I'm late. The series hasn't started yet, has it?”

-"No, you were on time," -Ann said.- “Goro was nervous that you didn't show up on time and miss it.”

-"Don't lie, Ann!" -He was flushed like a tomato.

She was laughing maliciously. Everyone there seemed to be making fun of that nervous boy.

-”Ah, first of all, my name is Amamiya Ren. Nice to meet you.”

Goro could hear how each one introduced themselves to him, but now his head was full of things because of his friends. After introducing himself, he felt that the boy sat down next to him, just as he had planned, and they looked at each other. Ren seemed to smile.

-”Good morning, Goro. Did you sleep well today?”

-"Yes," -his voice was shaking- “And you?”

-”Yes, although I had a hard time falling asleep. He was nervous for today.”

They started listening to the opening song on TV, which meant the series was already starting. Goro had slightly gawked at Ren, but looked at the TV right after. He noticed it and laughed, for when everyone was attentive to the series, daring to hold his hand under the table.

And he felt like this was not the first time. They both glanced at each other and smiled flushed, but neither of them let go.

It was as if what was lost had been recovered, and although they did not remember it, they were immensely happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading me. I hope you liked it!
> 
> This fic has been written for the **Goro BigBang 2020** , and has been illustrated by the wonderful [@makrisart on twitter](https://twitter.com/makrisart). You can see it **[HERE](https://twitter.com/makrisart/status/1351538586894688264)** and give it a lot of love!
> 
> You can visit me on twitter here too [(@meiakai)](https://twitter.com/meiakai).
> 
> Thanks a lot!


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